Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-07-30
NEW YORK SKETCHES.
sass OF Life i'm the Metropolis as Oh.
served by Cummings and Hall.


served by Cummings and Hall.
WHAT coUNTRYMAN MAY LEARN ABOUT WATER
MELONS IN TIE BIG CTT-'PLUGGED" WATER
MELONS AND MELON PRrTTERs-DRIFr FROM THI
USDERcURRENT OF NEW YORK SOCIETY.
Special Correspondence of The EVENING STAR.
NEW YORK. July %.
More watermelons are consumed in Network than
In any other city In the world, and the watermelon
season Is now at its height. One OF the largest
and finest OF the 200 600 watermelons that reached
the metropolis last week found its way into the
cafe Of a fashionable uptown hotel. 1t was pre-
pared for use and placed In the Ice box.
People from the country and smaller towns come
10 New York In great numbers at this season OF
the year, and among the recent arrivals was a
worthy gentleman from little rural settlement
In Southern Michigan. who came to see his brother,
WalLstreet broker, from whom he had been sep
arated ever since they were boys together on old
farm. The two brothers dropped in at the cafe in
whose ice box rested the big watermelon first
mentioned "Lets have a watermelon" said the
broker. The rural brother readily aSsented. "Wiii
you nave IL plugged?" asked the broker.
sOf course" answered the rural brother.
DIDN'T We always plug melon before we ate IL
when we were boys?" The broker whispered some
order TO the waiter, and directly that servitor re-
turned with the big melon aforementioned. When
ne cut 1t 1t seemed very juicy and aromatic The
clared that he had never tasted such melon In
n1S life. IL seemed TO loosen and later TO thcken
his tongue. Finally he stared at his broker
brother and asked, George, washer masher wish
shat nel'n?"
George smiled and answered, at was plugged; +"
"How plugged?" asked the rural brother with
suspicious, not to say silly, leer.
George replied: "a hole had been cut In the
brandy poured In. Then it was left In The Ice
until 1t became perfectly cold. The sweet juices
OF the melon mingled with the liquor so meliowed
IL That you did not taste It,"
OTHER WAYS OF SERVING MELONS.
The rural brother looked astoniShed and de-
clared that he had never heard the like. He had
plugged melons when a boy to find out whether or
not they were ripe, but he had never engaged In
such expensive and exhilarattDg plugging as the
case In question. The next morning, when he had
recovered from the effects OF The plugged melon
and was discussing its wonders with his brother,
the latter, who has become a distinguished cpl
at would surprise you, old man, to know how
many methods OF serving watermelons the gour-
mandS have invented. Many prefer plugged
melon flled with elaret, but for my part nothing
equals a sherry melon. Good pale sherry-and it
Is hard 10 get-shOuld be boiled down to almost a
syrup and then allowed to cool When 1T has
reached the proper temperature, pour IL into the
melon, place the fruit In the ice-box, and when
you are ready take it out and eat ii. 1t more
nearly approaches the nectar OF the gods than
any combination on earth. Then there Is sort
OF sherbet made of watermelon juice. I know
OF but one place In New York where Won can get
II. The meat OF the melon Is compressed the
juice mixed with wine and the mixture placed in
IL. Then 10 is served, and nothing equal it as
a cooling decOction."
The rural brother was much impressed with the
epicure5 erudit1on on the subject OF the water
melon. That evening at dinner he was still
further astonishei when the epicure ordered as
an entree some watermelon fritters and as q con-
lection some candied watermelon. II should
think the melon would melt while they are cook
Ing 1t or putting that candy around IT," said the
rurallSt.
TRICK FROM FRANCE.
''That Is a trick the French have taught u.s.
answered George. They cover a piece OF cold
melon with a delicate batter, and cook it so
quickly that the fruit hasn't time to be much
affected with the heat That Is the way these
fritterS were made. Then they take very cold
piece OF melon neat, tmmerse Ii III boiling sugar,
remove 1t Instantly, and you have the candied
melon that you have eaten. They raise the finest
waternelOns in the south OF France to be found
In Europe-althOugh they scarcely equal the
from southern France will tell you all about
preparing the fruit. In France they do not
allow the waste OF the best part OF the melon,
which is the outside. III the watermelon rinds
that are thrown away during season In this
country could be gathered, instead OF being
allowed TO go TO waste, and made into preserves,
half the people in the United states who are I'M
able TO enjoy the luxury OF preserves during the
winter would have at a small cost all they could
eat OF the most delicious preserves known TO the
human palate. A little cheap sugar, some lemon
peel and limited degree OF skill in preparing the
green portion of the watermelon Is all that Is re-
quired- You country people go hungry for DELI
caceS that grow all about you. This Is not only
true with reference TO melon preserves. but with
regard 10 other articles. You wait impatiently
for salad until your lettuce is grown, and all the
while you have had at Your command material.
II properly prepared, for the finest salad known.
i refer TO the stalks of the dandeliOn. You
member how we used to have TO pull up out of
the garden the abominable weed that we called
puSley.' We have thrown away tons OF IL, and
Yet the most delicate salad have eaten In New
York was made OF that same 'puSley-'"
The rural brother looked astoniShed, made min
uteS OF the information that his eplcurean kinS-
man had given him and went home 10 tell the
boys how little they know about watermelonS
and the "wOmen folks" how limited their knowl-
edge Is Of cookery. AMOS j. CUMMINGS.